Roadway



W. V. T. CRAMER.

ROADWAY.

APPLICTION FILED OCT. 11|

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM'. V. T. CRAMER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

BOADIVAY.

Lacasse.

Application filed. Gctober 11, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VTILLIAM V. T. Aliiauiin, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented cert-aiii new and useful Improvements in Roadways; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertaiiis to make and use the saine.

My object is to provide an improved roadway, having special reference to removable top surfaces to facilitate travel of all ve hicles, especially automobiles. The invention is predicated of the cost of road construction which contemplates the building of the road itself. This is a slow and tedious work requiring time for its completion. My invention discloses a simple frame structur wiiich may be laid upon any surface, cheaply made and installed, and accommodating' itself to the irregularities of the road surface so as to permit the travel of vehicles without serious hindrance.

In the drawings, Figure l shows the structui'e in side elevation and the formation it is capable of assuming over bank or terrace or a bridge or culvert. Fig. 2 is a plan of the two tracks and Fig. '3 is a detail perspective of one.

I arrange two tracks or roadway units, each about 2d; inches wide and spaced apart about `2O inches and lying parallel s o that each constitutes a surface for the respective side wheels of a vehicle. In Fig. 2 the two ways are designated by numerals l and 2. As the ways are made alike a detail description of one will suliice.

I employ a series of strips 3. They are preferably of wood because that material, in the arrangement of parts I contemplate, is well adapted to the purpose. Each strip is of rectangular formation, providing` a flat tcp or tread surface 1land a flat bear; ig surface 5 to contact with the ground. I may make a given number of these strips, say ten, constitute a section'. In the "nanufacture of the section I provide effective means for connecting the respective strips which. while maintaining them properly spaced apart, will yet allow the section to yield vertically responsive to the earth formation to lessen. the ar upon the vehicle and yet maintain the section as against lateral torsion. The means I have found best adapted for this purpose is a system of wiring. As

Specification of Letters Patent.

. PatentedJan. 27, 1920.

Serial No. 330,116.

, illustrated a wire 6 is arranged longitudinally of the roadway section and near each extremity of the strips 3. This wire is bent to form a series of loops 7 to receive the ends of the strips, and intermediate the strips it is closely coiled as at 8. In the manufacture I iind it desirable to slip the loop over a strip and then employ a wiring tool which while coiling the wire will draw the loop so tightly into the wooden strip as to create a seat or groove which prevents displacement. The coil or link 8 thus formed is very rigid in its capacity to maintain the strips apart and to prevent lateral twist. A pair of succeeding loops are then formed, a strip inserted and two other coils formed.

By this means it will be noted that the coils 8 are about midway of the thickness of the strips, Fig. 3. They do not extend to the tread surface et or the bearing surface 5. In consequence they are out of contact with the vehicle wheels above and the ground surface beneath. The flat surface of the strips provides a smooth running bed for vehicles. The spaced apart relationship allows each strip to yield independently, so that the spaces intermediate the strips co-act with the strips in providing the resilient surface. As an entirety the roadway, and each of its component tracks, l, 2, are flexible longitudinally. As shown in Fig. 1 it is capable of readily accommodating itself to the convex roadway over a bank or teriace or bridge. This is because the plurality of coils in longitudinal series constitute a flexible element. Also this characteristic enables the roadway to neutralize the effect of an obstruction beneath one of the tracks, that is..y one side of the way may be abruptly elevated while the level continuity of the other is undisturbed. The effect upon the traveling vehicle is hardly noticeable, being merely slight rolling at one side.

For straight roads I may make the sections of any desired lengths, while at curves a series of short sections will meet the requirements. The sections may readily be united by twisting their contiguous coils together.

My primary "Jplication of the structure described is to private houses and estates as indicated in Fig. l, although it is equally adapted to hi cjliwavs. 1 u .I

I claim as my invention l. A removable roadway having two spaced tracks each comprising a plurality of strips laid relatively parallel and transversely of the road and spaced apart, and rigidly securedlinks connecting said strips to maintain thein spaced apart, said links allowing the way to yield vertically while maintaining it as against lateral torsion.

2. A removable roadway' having two spaced tracks each comprising a plurality of strips having flat top or tread surfaces, said strips being laid relatively parallel and transversely of the road and spaced apart,

and wires connecting said strips, said wires having loops to receive the strips and tightly coiled intermediate the strips, the coiled portions lying within the thickness of the strips, the series of coils permitting the vertical flexing of the way while maintaining the strips spaced apart and preventing their lateral torsion.

In testimony whereof I have signed this 20 

